‘Dead Week’ not so ‘dead’ for all

The Sunday after Little 500, the floors of Herman B Wells Library were packed with students who were busy preparing for their last weeks of school. This week is free week, more commonly known as “dead week,” the final week of classes before
examinations.

According to IU’s Academic Guide, “no major or final examination, except for practical tests at the end of laboratory periods, may be required during the last week of class.”

For some students, this might prove to be the case, but others seem to have a busier-
than-usual week. Students also have different perceptions of what “dead week” means.

“It’s actually busier than my actual finals week is going to be,” sophomore Tessa Derickson said.

She said she only has one final on Thursday of exam week, but this week, she has two tests and two papers due. Derickson said work can sometimes stack up during dead week.

“A lot of teachers feel like they are doing a favor by putting it during dead week, then everyone does it,” she said.

Derickson said the week is named “dead” week because everyone is so consumed with work that nothing else is happening.

Alexis Wise is a sophomore in the Kelley School of Business.

Wise said she has tests in all of her classes, two presentations and a research paper.

She also has finals in all of her classes next week. During free week, students should have time to prepare for exams, she added.  

“I’m still learning new material in all of my classes so I guess it’s not really free week,” she said. “It’s insane. I have a lot going on.”

Dead week isn’t seemingly crazy for everyone, though. Freshman Colin Mitchener said he had a presentation yesterday and doesn’t have much else to worry about until the Monday of exam week and is finished with exams next Tuesday.

He said he thinks of dead week as a time when students prepare for exams and don’t learn any new material.

“I think it’s (named dead week) because you don’t necessarily have anything due that week,” he said.

Freshman Taylor Harmon is in the same situation as Mitchener.

“Mine is actually not really that busy because my finals aren’t that hard,” she said.

“So, dead week won’t be very busy.”

Students don’t learn anything new during this week, Harmon added.

“People are really boring,” she said. “They act dead and lose their souls during dead week.”